A Summer Journey
by gtrotter29
Summary: Jane meets Maura, a French student, during a summer scholarship program. Will friendship be the only thing to blossom between the two or does destiny have something else planned for them?
1. Chapter 1

**All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.**

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"Passengers please be advised the plane will be landing shortly. If you could please return your seats to the upright position, fasten your seatbelts and turn off all electronic devices, we are about to begin our descent into Barajas International Airport."

Jane, frustrated beyond belief after suffering through a 12 hour flight with no sleep and two very annoying toddlers yelling the whole way, did as she was told and adjusted her seat. She looked down at her watch: 12:13a.m. _so it's 7:13 a.m. local time, she said to herself as she adjusted the time on her watch._ _Great, it's been 20 hours and I've not had any sleep whatsoever and the day is barely starting. Hopefully we won't have too difficult a time today._

The plane landed a few minutes later. Since there was really no rush to get off the plane, she patiently waited her turn. As she began to make her way towards the front, she noticed more and more green backpacks. _I wonder how many of us came on this flight, she asked herself. _She made the trip through customs and got all her paperwork in order before heading to the conveyor belts to gather her luggage. Aside from the small tote she carried with her one the plane, she had a large army-style green backpack half-full with clothes, shoes and the requested list of items. Not really knowing anyone, she went and sat with the other students who looked just as lost as she did; luckily they didn't have to wait long.

"Good morning everyone! My name is Jóse, and I'm one of the counselors that will be travelling with you on this journey. Let's start off with roll call, make sure we have everyone… Juan Barrios/Mexico… Ana Delgado/Argentina… Jorge Santos/Paraguay…"

Jane sat and listened for her name.

"… Jane Rizzoli/USA"

"That's me," she said as she lifted her hand.

Jóse quickly finished roll call and once everyone was accounted for, led everyone out towards a large bus.

"The other portion of students have already arrived. There is no time to go back to camp today; we are going to make our way directly to Segovia. Once there you will be told which group you'll be joining and who your counselor will be."

Jane threw her backpack along with everyone else's and climbed on the bus. She was still hesitant about talking to people; she wasn't exactly great when it came to first impressions. She turned and saw a guy across the aisle from her. He was frowning and looked like he'd rather be anywhere else than where he currently was.

"You look the way I feel," she said aloud.

He turned to her slowly. "Oh yeah? How's that?" he asked.

"Like you'd rather be anywhere else," she said with a smirk.

"That sounds about right," he said.

"Why are you here? Did someone force you into applying or what?"

"My mother got me to apply, said it looked good for my college apps," he said with a bored tone.

"That sucks. I applied because my Spanish teacher said it would be a free trip to Spain. Sounded good to me at the time. Still does, if only I'd gotten some sleep on the way over here… my name's Jane," Jane stated as she held her hand out.

"I'm Ryan," the boy replied quickly.

"Where are you from Ryan?" Jane asked.

"Texas… Houston… and you?"

"I'm from Boston," Jane replied with a smile. "Part of me misses it already," she said with a laugh.

As it turned out, Ryan wasn't as sulky as he seemed to be. He was actually quite intelligent, and Jane found it wonderful to meet a fellow American. Ryan's Spanish wasn't all that great either, so she rejoiced in the fact that she at least would have someone to talk to in her native tongue. By the end of the two hour drive, it seemed like they'd known each other for a lot longer than a short afternoon.

"So they're going to split us up now, but how about we meet for dinner?" he asked.

"Yeah, that sounds great! It'll be good to have dinner with a friend, we gotta stick together," Jane replied. "Good luck, I hope you get a good tent-mate."

"Thanks, I hope you get a good one too," he said as he walked away.

Jane grabbed her backpack and then went off in search of 'Isabel', who would be her counselor for the duration of the trip. She had a hard time navigating the area. It seemed like there were at least 300 people in front of her. She quickly discovered that counselors were wearing a forest green t-shirt so she narrowed down her search. She found Isabel after a few more minutes.

"You must be Jane," Isabel stated. "I'm Isabel, and I'm going to be your counselor. You were originally supposed to be in group 5, but now you're going to be in 10, with me. Since you're the last one to arrive, you're number 17 for the purposes of roll call. There are three girls to a tent but you're lucky, since there are only two of you left, you get to only split it with one other person. You got here right on time, we're setting up camp. Have you ever put up a tent before?" she asked Jane.

"Yes, my family and I go camping often," Jane replied.

"Good, you'll have no problems then. You're in tent 6, right over there," Isabel pointed to the last tent on the row. Go meet your tent-mate and get set up. Let me know if you have any questions. Welcome to the group," she said with a smile.

"Thanks," Jane smiled back.

Jane walked over to the tent quickly. A younger, shorter girl with honey blonde hair was trying to hammer in a metal stake with a rock.

"Hey there, you need some help?" Jane asked as she put her backpacks down.

The younger girl turned to face her, a small grateful smile spread on her face. "Yes, please. I can't seem to get this to go into the ground," she replied. "I've never set up a tent before," she added.

"Here, let's see what we can do." Jane took the proffered stone and stake. "There are some rocks there, so it'll be a little harder to hammer in, but I think we can handle it. Do you have the other stakes?" she asked.

"I do," the blonde replied as she handed them to Jane. Together they went around and secured the tent. Jane taught her how to assemble the poles and get the tent up; it only took them a few minutes.

"Thank you for your help! I was waiting for my tent-mate; they told me she was coming today but then everyone got started and I felt like I needed to get going too," the blonde stated.

"That would be me," Jane replied with a smile. "I'm Jane Rizzoli, from the USA."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Jane. I'm Maura Isles and I'm from France."

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**What do you think everyone? Want to read some more? Let me hear it!=)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews/favorites/follows so far everyone!=) I'm glad some of you are enjoying the story!**

**There is a reason I made this take place in Spain, which I will share with you all later. Though I could've written this in Spanish, I thought it best to stick with English with the occasional Spanish dialogue which will be translated.  
**

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"So it looks like we got lucky, huh? Only two of us in this tent; I don't know what to do with all the extra space!" Jane joked.

Maura smiled back at her as she nodded. "I think we are quite lucky. I've seen just how much equipment we're going to have to carry around and that alone takes up a lot of space. It would be incredibly tight with 3 people in there," she replied.

Jane opened the tent door and motioned for Maura to enter. The blonde grabbed her things and quickly made her way inside closely followed by Jane.

"Do you have a preference for a side?" Jane asked her.

"It doesn't matter to me," Maura replied. "Do you?"

"Nope, I don't care. We can just stay as we are. Should we establish some tent rules?"

"I think that is wise. We each get half, which now that I see is quite spacious. Please try to keep your side tidy, ok?"

Jane smirked. "I'll try my best. Is that it?"

"I think that sticking to our own things is self explanatory, so yes, that's it," Maura replied.

"Sounds good to me," Jane said as she started laying out her camp pad, sleeping bag and tiny pillow she had managed to remember to throw into her luggage.

Each girl went about unpacking 'essentials' when they were suddenly called out for lunch. They each grabbed their plates and utensils and made their way out. They had to wait in a long line along with everyone else. Since Maura had already met everyone, she said hi and introduced Jane to the 15 other girls in their group. Jane was quick to notice that not everyone seemed as friendly as her tent-mate and was glad that she'd lucked out in that department. She was about to go and look for Ryan when Isabel reminded everyone that they were to stay in groups for meals; she'd just have to see him later.

"Do you want to sit together? Jane asked Maura.

"Sure, I'd like that," Maura replied, a look of relief on her face.

Though they still sat with their group, they were a few feet away from everyone else. The other girls had formed smaller groups as well.

"So tell me about yourself Maura Isles, who are you?" Jane began as she took a bite out of her sandwich.

"What would you like to know?" Maura asked shyly.

Jane smiled at her. "How old are you? What part of France are you from? What are your interests? That sort of thing…"

"Well, I'm 15 years old; I'll be 16 in a couple of months. My parents' home is in Paris, though I attend a boarding school in Bordeaux. I love to read and learn; I'm very passionate about science and history. What about you?"

"I'm 17, born and raised in Boston. School doesn't really interest me all that much; I'm more of an athletic person. I love sports. I enjoy reading, but I read on my own terms."

"Why doesn't school interest you?" Maura asked, intrigued. "I thought people who applied for an academic scholarship would be interested in learning.

"Don't get me wrong, I love to learn, I just don't like school. I feel too restricted and bored; I'd rather learn on my own. I applied for this scholarship because my Spanish teacher told me about it and said it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and a free trip to Spain, what's not to like about that?" Jane asked.

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood," Maura said quickly, bowing her head.

"Don't worry about it, it's cool. Hey listen, I'm curious," Jane said, lowering her voice. "Was it just me or do some of the girls in our group seem to have issues? They didn't look all that friendly."

Maura looked down again. "I didn't exactly make a good first impression yesterday," she said.

"Why not? What happened?" Jane asked instantly.

"They seem to think I'm stuck up, presumptuous and boring," Maura said quietly.

"That's ridiculous! Why would they think that?!" Jane asked, her voice raising.

"Because I _am_ boring. They think I'm presumptuous because I attend boarding school."

"Maura listen to me," Jane said. "Look at me," she tried again. Maura made eye contact. "I've only known you for a few minutes, but believe me when I tell you there isn't a single bone in your body that is boring or presumptuous, ok? Those girls are just stupid, don't pay them any mind. Just ignore them from now on… or better yet, leave them to me, I'll handle them," Jane stated.

Maura gave her a small smile. "No one has ever told me that before," Maura said.

Jane smiled back at her. "That's because no one has even taken 5 minutes of their time to get to know you. Had they done so, they would have been able to see exactly what I see," Jane said softly.

"What do you see?" Maura asked, intrigued by Jane's words.

"A highly capable person with a beautiful heart," Jane replied honestly. "There is no doubt in my mind that you're very intelligent Maura, I'm sure I'll get to see that side of you soon enough. Something tells me that all people see about you is your intelligence, and they don't take the time to see everything else. Your intelligence is just a part of who you are… but there is so much more to you than meets the eye."

Maura, who had never had anyone speak to her in such a way, had trouble keeping her composure. "How can you possibly tell all that just by talking to me for 10 minutes?" she asked.

"You wouldn't be here if you weren't smart; you _are _representing your country after all. I see your kindness in your eyes; they speak volumes of who you are. There's such a depth to them… I see so much of your life just by looking at your eyes; they tell your story Maura."

"What are they telling you now?" Maura asked.

"They're telling me that I have found a new friend," Jane replied with a smile.

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**Let me know what you think!=)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the continued support everyone! Here's another chapter!=)**

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"Jane? Jane? Wake up!" Maura cried once again as she gave Jane's shoulder a little push.

"Huh? What? What's going on? Maura? Go back to sleep, why are you waking me up?" Jane turned around and tried to go back to her slumber.

"It's time to get up Jane, today's the day of the hike, remember?" Maura tried again.

Jane groaned. How could she have forgotten? They'd only mentioned it a million times the night before, letting the campers know that they had to get plenty of rest and to go straight to sleep once lights out had been called. "What time is it?" she asked Maura.

"It's 5:15am," Maura replied.

"Mother of God… we haven't even slept for 5 hours yet! How long did they say the hike was going to be again?" she asked as she turned around, now more alert.

"15 kilometers, supposedly it's one of the shorter ones," Maura stated with a not so convincing tone.

"15 kilometers is just over 9 miles… on 5 hours of sleep?! Are you kidding me?!" Jane let out an exasperated sigh as she rose to a sitting position and began to change. She looked over at Maura, who had already packed her side of the tent and was ready to go. "How is it possible that you're already good to go?" she asked Maura in wonderment.

"I'm a morning person; and I woke up when I heard movement outside the tent. Juan got on the megaphone a couple of minutes later…"

"Oh…" Jane replied as she finished getting ready. She rolled up her sleeping bag and camp pad and loaded them into her backpack. "I guess we better head out," she said.

"Alright," came Maura's reply.

They two exited the tent and quickly took it apart and put it in its bag.

"It's my turn to carry it today," Jane reminded the blonde.

"I know," Maura said. "but since it's the day of the hike it wouldn't be fair for you to carry it the full time; maybe we can switch halfway and I'll carry it too. We're talking about an extra 5 kg; that added weight will not be fun to carry around."

"I'm sure I can handle it, but we'll play it by ear, ok? Thanks for the offer." Jane replied with a smile.

The two set their things on the ground, grabbed their eating utensils and headed for the breakfast line.

"I wonder what's for breakfast today?" Maura said jokingly.

"Hmmm… let me guess… hot chocolate, water and toast," Jane replied with a smirk.

"I wonder if they'll ever give us anything different?" Maura asked, now serious.

"I wouldn't hold my breath Maur," Jane said.

Maura stopped walking. It took Jane a couple of seconds to realize that the blonde was no longer in step with her. "Maur? What's wrong?" she asked.

"You called me Maur…" the blonde replied.

"Yeah… is that not ok?" Jane asked, a little worried.

Maura gave her a small smile that got wider by the second. "I like it. No one has ever called me anything other than Maura before."

Jane smiled back. "Maur it is. Come on, I'm hungry! Let's go get in line before it gets ridiculously long."

Twenty minutes and a very short breakfast later, the campers were organized into 3 different groups based on how quick you were. Since neither girl had gone hiking in some time, they decided to stick to the middle group and try things out.

"We're going to get started. Each of you should have your canteen filled with water. I advise that you use it wisely; there will be no more water available until we reach our destination. Let's get going!"

The large groups began to walk. The ground was very uneven and many times Jane had to adjust her footing in order to not trip or twist and ankle. She would look over at Maura and see the younger girl walking at a steady pace, her eyes directly in front of her, analyzing the terrain she was on before taking a step. Everyone stopped a couple of hours later to get some rest.

"How are you on water?" Jane asked Maura.

"I'm good; I've only used about a third of my canteen," the blonde replied. "You?"

"I've used about a quarter. I hear some people are running really short on water already. We still have half a hike to go," Jane replied. "I know why they woke us up so early; this heat is unforgiving!" she said as she wiped her brow.

"I know what you mean," Maura replied. "It's quite hot."

"Hey girls, we were wondering if you had any water to spare? Montse is out, and we were trying to pitch in to get her some so she can finish the hike. She's really dehydrated," a girl from the group commented.

Jane was about to reply when Maura pulled out her canteen. "I can give her some of mine," Maura stated as she began pouring water into the other girl's canteen. "I hope she can get enough. This heat is really going to be hard on all of us."

"Here, she can have some of mine too," Jane stated as she gave the girl some of her water.

"Thanks!" the girl said before walking back to Montse.

"That was really nice of you," Jane said as she looked over at Maura. "You didn't have to do that, with the way they've treated you."

"We're all in this together Jane. I'm sure that if I were the one that was dehydrated and out of water they'd give me some too," Maura reasoned.

Jane, who wasn't sure that would be the case, did nothing but nod. The break came to an end a couple of minutes later and the hike resumed. They were about a kilometer short of their destination when the ground got really rocky and even more uneven.

"You know this hasn't been so bad," Jane said. "If it hadn't been for the heat, I might've actually enjoyed this a little more," she said to Maura. "The scenery is just perfe— son of a bitch!" she said as she tripped and fell forward.

"Jane!" Maura cried. She instantly dropped her things to the ground and went to her friend's aid. "Are you hurt? Are you in pain?"

Jane made it to a sitting position and grimaced in pain as she grabbed her ankle. "It hurts! I must've stepped on something wrong and my ankle gave out."

"Here, let me take a look at it," Maura stated.

"It's probably sprained," Jane said, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Does it hurt here?" Maura asked as she gently touched Jane's ankle.

"YES! It hurts!"

"What about here?" Maura asked as she touched an area above it.

"It doesn't hurt as bad but please stop touching it!" Jane pleaded.

"It might be a mild sprain. You shouldn't put any weight on it for at least a couple of days," Maura stated seriously.

"Damnit. How am I supposed to finish the hike?" Jane questioned.

"Here, I'll help you up. We can do this, alright?" Maura rose and took Jane's backpack and strapped it to her front. She took the tent and tied it to her backpack so that it wouldn't get in the way. She extended an arm, which Jane tentatively took.

"Maura, you can't carry everything _and_ help me. That's too much," Jane stated.

"I can do it Jane; we don't have that far of a hike left. Come on, lean on me,"

Jane put the majority of her weight on her good leg and took small steps with Maura's help. About ten steps in, a couple of girls from their group caught up to them.

"What happened to Jane?" Carol asked.

"She has a mild sprain on her ankle," Maura replied as she continued helping her tent-mate walk.

"Here, give me her backpack, and Camila will take yours," Carol stated. "Bego! Come give Maura and Jane a hand!"

Jane and Maura looked at each other, shocked at the help they were getting.

"Thanks for the help!" Jane stated as Begoña came to help on her other side.

"We're all in this together, right?" Carol stated with a smile.

"Yes we are," Jane said with a smile as she turned to look at Maura, who nodded and smiled as well.

Thirty minutes later, the girls had arrived with the rest of the campers to the new campsite. They quickly began to set up the tents and got ready for lunch.

"I'll get the tent today, you sit and rest," Maura stated as she got to work with the stakes.

"They're giving us the rest of the day off, thank God!" Jane cried out in happiness.

"I think they're just taking it easy on us. The difficult times are yet to come," Maura replied.

Once lunch was had, the two girls made it back to the tent.

"Let me take a look at that ankle again," Maura stated as she began to pull out her first aid kit.

"You brought a kit with you? Jane said in awe. "That wasn't on the list."

"I like to be prepared," Maura said casually. "You need to bandage that foot," she said as she took out a bandage.

"Really Maur, I can do it," Jane said as she grimaced in pain.

"Do you know how to properly bandage a foot?" Maura asked expectantly.

"Well… no…"

"I do," she said and got to work.

Jane could do nothing but look on in awe and wonderment as Maura worked on her ankle. A tingling, indescribable feeling began to bubble up in her stomach.

"There, all done," Maura said with a smile. "Now you just rest it up high; you should be much better in a couple of days… what?" Maura asked. She'd caught Jane just looking at her.

"It's nothing… I just wanted to say… thanks Maura… for everything," Jane said sincerely as she took Maura's hands in hers and gave her a small smile.

Maura gave Jane's hands a soft squeeze. "You're welcome," she replied with a smile of her own.

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**What do you think of the story so far? Hit that review button and let me know!=)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's another chapter everyone! enjoy!=)**

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Jane's foot healed nicely in a few days. Though the trip revolved around physical activity, she still managed to keep up with the group with Maura's help. She couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach each time the blonde got close to her, and felt a jolt of electricity travel through her body each time Maura touched her in any way.

"Listen up everyone! Today we're going to listen to a speaker from the University of Madrid speak about linguistics and its importance in our society. Make sure to listen and to have plenty of questions when the time comes."

Jane rolled her eyes. Another lecture. It seemed like half of this trip was just going to consist of boring lectures in Spanish, of which she only understood half anyway. She took out her notebook and pen and began writing Maura a note.

_J- We have to sit through another one of these? We sat through 3 of them yesterday!_

_M- That's the point of this scholarship Jane; lectures. What else did you think we were going to be doing?;)_

_J- I don't know… something more fun!_

_M- Just sit back and listen; the lectures themselves are quite entertaining if you pay attention._

_J- Excusez-moi mademoiselle Isles… are you assuming I don't pay attention? ;)_

_M- I know you do, I just also know you have a tendency to get distracted Ms. Rizzoli =)_

_J- Alright alright, I'll pay attention.:(_

_M- Good! We'll talk after the lecture;)_

Maura handed Jane back her notebook; their fingers grazed each other when the exchange took place. Both girls let out a small gasp at the jolt they felt and looked in each other's eyes, speechless. Maura was the first to divert her attention back to the lecture. Jane stood still for a minute longer before she too turned her attention back to the speaker. What they didn't know about each other was that neither one of them would pay any attention to the rest of the speech and would instead think about what had just happened.

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They broke for dinner after the lecture. Jane went looking for Maura, who she usually had meals with, only to find her sitting with a couple of other girls from their group. She thought it odd since they usually ate alone, but went up to the group.

"Do you mind if I sit with you all?" she asked as she looked around.

"Not at all, please have a seat," Carol said. "It's great that you two are joining us for dinner tonight. I wanted to ask you something Jane…"

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Jane asked as she began to eat her meal.

"What's the deal with Ryan? Is he single?" Carol asked as she instantly blushed.

Jane laughed out loud. "I don't know. I could ask him if you want. You have a crush on him?"

"He is so sexy!" Camila piped up. "I think we'd all like to know if he's single, wouldn't we girls?"

Jane was met with a chorus of yeses. "What about you Maur? You don't think Ryan is sexy?" she asked after she'd noticed Maura had kept quiet.

Maura looked straight into her eyes without blinking. "He's not my type," she replied.

"How's that possible Maura? He's everyone's type! Just look at him!" Camila swooned.

"I guess I just have different tastes," Maura replied as she turned to look at Jane once more without the other girls noticing. "I'm done for the night. Enjoy the rest of your dinner girls; I'm going to bed."

Everyone around wished her a good night while Jane continued eating her dinner. A few minutes later she excused herself as well and went in search of the blonde.

"Hey," Jane said as she entered the tent they shared.

"Hey," Maura replied as she put the book she was reading down.

"What are you reading?" Jane asked, unable to think of what else to say.

"The Order of the Phoenix… Harry Potter. It's one of my favorites."

"I like Harry Potter too. Deathly Hallows is my favorite though," Jane replied.

"Yeah, I like that one too, I just didn't want to bring a hardcover with me."

"So what you said outside… you care to elaborate for me?" Jane asked in a low voice.

"Elaborate on what?" Maura replied.

"You said Ryan wasn't your type… why not? What is your type?" Jane questioned.

"Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great guy from what I can tell; I'm just not into him. Besides, he's gay," Maura stated seriously.

"What?! He is not gay!" Jane replied, surprised.

"Believe me when I tell you Jane, he's gay," Maura repeated.

"How can you tell?" Jane asked in wonderment.

"It's a gift," Maura replied.

"Has he ever said anything to you?" Jane asked.

"He doesn't need to. I can just tell," Maura replied once again.

"Wow, I certainly didn't see that one coming," Jane stated in amazement.

"Does that bother you?" Maura questioned, wanting desperately to know the answer.

"What? That he's gay? Of course it doesn't, I'm -… well… I'm gay too," Jane whispered.

Maura smiled. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Why? What's the point? People tend to treat me differently once they know I'm gay," Jane replied.

"Do you think I would treat you differently?" Maura asked.

Jane thought about it for a moment. "Honestly no, I don't think you would."

"I would treat you differently, but not in the way you think," Maura said softly as she looked down at her hands.

Jane looked at her, waiting for an explanation.

"I feel it too… what you feel? Those goose bumps I see on your arms every time we touch?" Maura looked up and stared into Jane's eyes. "I get them too…"

"Maura… what are you saying?" Jane asked. She was suddenly having trouble breathing.

"I'm saying that I'm aware of the reaction that I awaken in you Jane, and that I feel it too," Maura replied again with more conviction in her tone. "You told me once that my eyes tell you my story... look at me Jane… look at my eyes… what are they telling you now?" Maura questioned.

Jane slowly rose her eyesight and made eye contact with the blonde. Maura's deep hazel eyes shone bright and spoke volumes to her. She slowly moved closer to Maura until their faces were only inches apart. She licked her lips as she looked down at Maura's full lips. She looked up and made eye contact once more before she closed the gap and kissed the blonde softly.

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**Thoughts? Let me hear it!=)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Because you all are awesome, here's another chapter!=)**

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Maura felt Jane's lips on her and felt lightheaded; as if she were floating. Jane pulled back as the kiss ended and looked at the blonde tentatively, questioning her reaction. Maura could do nothing but smile back at her. Relief coursed through Jane's body as she realized that she hadn't been wrong in what she'd seen in Maura's eyes; the blonde had wanted Jane to kiss her.

"I thought I was dreaming," Jane stated.

"I thought that was me," replied Maura.

"This is real?" Jane asked.

Maura leaned in and kissed Jane back. "It's real," she said as she leaned her forehead against Jane's.

Jane took Maura's hands in hers. "What do we do now?" she asked, uncertain.

"What do _you_ want to do?" Maura replied.

"I really like you Maura… a lot," Jane stated, voice even and clear.

"I like you a lot too Jane. But what's going to happen? This trip will be over in 4 weeks and then you go back to Boston and I go back to Paris… Even before then… what are they going to do to us? Will they split us up? Kick us out of the program?" Maura began hyperventilating.

"Maura, calm down, ok? They're not going to kick us out. IF they were to find out, they might make us sleep in different tents, but I think that's it."

"If?" Maura questioned.

"I don't want to risk not being able to spend this time with you," Jane replied. "I don't want them to split us up."

"Neither do I," Maura replied. "I've grown to liking having you as my tent-mate," she said with a smile.

"Me too," Jane replied easily. "We only have 4 weeks Maura… 4 weeks before we have to go back home. Let's make the most out of them. No one else has to know what's going on between us. If at the end of those 4 weeks we still want this, we'll figure something out, ok?"

Maura looked into Jane's eyes and saw a gleam of hope she hadn't seen there before. "Ok, I think that's the best thing we can do," she said.

"We can do this, right? Nothing has to change while we're with the other girls and the other students. At least during our free time and at night I'll have you all to myself," Jane continued.

"I like the sound of that," Maura replied with another smile. "There's something I want to take care of first though,"

"Yeah? What's that?"

"This," Maura said as she rose to her knees and kissed Jane once more as she wrapped her arms around her. Jane let out a small moan. "Shh, we have to be careful Jane. No one can hear us. No one can suspect anything is going on."

"It's just you, and the way you make me feel… it's going to be very difficult to keep quiet."

"The way I make you feel?" Maura questioned.

"Yes, the way you make me feel. Even if they weren't to hear the moans, I'm sure they'd hear my heart beating out of my chest because of how you make it burst with anticipation. You are beautiful Maura, inside and out. You're classy and a walking encyclopedia for crying out loud. Whatever do you see in me?" Jane questioned back.

"What you see in me, I see in you too Jane. I don't think you realize just how beautiful and gifted you are. You said it yourself, we are here representing our countries… you are fairly intelligent yourself," Maura said with a wink. "I love your smile, and the way your eyes shine bright whenever you laugh. I love that even though I've only known you for a little over two weeks we already seem to click so well. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when this trip is over. I can't imagine not seeing you every day." Maura's eyes began to tear up.

"Shh, Maura don't cry. We'll figure this out. There has to be a way, and we'll find it. I'm going to be a senior this year and with that come college applications. Who knows; we may end up in the same city that way. I can apply to colleges here, and you can apply to colleges back home," Jane suggested.

"Technically I'm still a year behind you; but I've been taking advanced courses. I think I can arrange my schedule so that I can graduate early," Maura replied, already thinking hard.

"That wouldn't surprise me in the least," Jane said with a smile. "Now come on, enough of that for today. We still have plenty of time to figure out and plan what we're going to do, ok? It's been a long day and it's time for some sleep."

Both girls began taking out their sleeping bags and getting ready for the night.

"Jane?" Maura said in a low voice.

"Yeah?"

"I know that we usually have a sizeable gap between us… but I was wondering… will you sleep with me tonight?"

"You want me to cuddle with you?" Jane asked with a smile.

"I'd like to feel your arms around me as we sleep," Maura said as the color rose in her cheeks.

"Hey Maur, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'd love to have you in my arms as we sleep," Jane responded as she inched her mat and sleeping bag closer to the blonde's.

Jane left her sleeping bag open on the side and Maura left hers open on the opposite side as well.

Jane sighed in contentment once Maura was in her arms, and got comfortable as she inched her body closer to the blonde's. Maura took Jane's arm in hers and held on tight. It was dark, but her smile was visible.

"Goodnight Jane," Maura said as she kissed Jane's hand enveloped in hers.

"Goodnight Maur," Jane replied as she kissed the blonde's shoulder in response, as both closed their eyes and welcomed sleep.

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**The reviews and support have been awesome everyone! Keep on posting and I'll do my best to get chapters out asap. I know that I'll have at least one more for you all today;) Show me some love!=)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry I wasn't able to post until today peeps; been having internet connection issues. Here's the next chapter!=)**

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Jane and Maura spent as much time as possible together in the next couple of weeks. As luck would have it, no one seemed to notice any difference in behavior between the two girls, much to their contentment. They continued with their normal routine, this time sharing meals with the other girls but still sitting together during lectures and other activities.

As the days went on, they would have less and less time to sleep, with the average night of rest consisting of 3-5 hours of sleep. Their schedule was so busy that students were constantly complaining at the fact that they didn't have enough energy to do all they were required to do. Before they knew it, the day of the longest hike of the expedition had arrived.

"Are they insane?! Are they really going to make us hike 40 kilometers today? That's 25 miles! That'll take us all day!"

"At least it isn't hot today," Maura said, trying to look on the bright side.

"No, it's not hot, now it's freezing cold AND raining!"

"I'd rather be a little cold; at least the hike will keep us warm. Besides, we have ponchos; we'll be alright Jane."

"I know, I just like to complain. It's going to be an extremely long day," Jane said as she leaned into Maura for a hug.

"We'll be together, that has to count for something," Maura said as she hugged Jane close.

"That makes all the difference in the world," Jane said as she turned her head to kiss the blonde.

They'd packed their bags and were ready to go after breakfast. They'd managed to keep a steady pace with everyone on previous hikes staying in the middle group, so they didn't make any changes there.

"Hoy tenemos una larga caminata chicos. Caminaremos aproximadamente 40 kilómetros. Recuerden que tienen que preservar su agua. Tomaremos un descanso cada 2 horas. Como siempre, nos separamos en tres grupos. Si tienen alguna pregunta, hacérsela a sus monitores."

_(We have a long hike today guys. We will be walking approximately 40 kilometers. Remember to preserve your water. We will be taking a break every 2 hours. We will be splitting up into 3 groups as always. If you have any questions, ask your counselors.)_

"You ready Maur?" Jane asked as they lined up behind other campers.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Maura replied, slight hesitation in her voice.

They began hiking through the Peaks of Europe. The weather was cold and the rain pounded on their heads and backs. Several campers had managed to take a bad fall due to the slipperiness of the surface they were on and had to be picked up and sent back to camp. Halfway through the hike, they gave everyone a thirty minute break.

"Don't wander too far! We don't want any of you getting lost. We'll meet back here in 30 minutes," Isabel said to the group.

"Whatever shall we do with our free time?" Jane asked, slightly out of breath.

"Why don't we go find a nice spot to sit and relax?" Maura suggested.

"That's an excellent idea, I'm beat!" Jane replied.

They walked off the trail a couple of hundred feet and came before a small boulder big enough for the two of them to rest on.

"How's this?" Maura asked.

"I think it's perfect!" Jane replied as she took off her backpack and set it on the ground. Maura followed suit and soon enough both were sitting next to one another looking out at the scenery before them.

"It really is beautiful here," Maura said with a sigh. "I imagine it would look even better at night… a sky filled with stars visible since there is no pollution around. I bet we'll be able to get a good view when we finally make it to camp."

"I've never seen anything quite like this. Don't get me wrong, the northeast countryside is beautiful, but not quite as beautiful as this. Not only that; I've never had anyone to share a moment like this with," Jane said as she took Maura's hand in hers.

Maura turned and looked deep into Jane's eyes. "Neither have I," she replied. "I've been thinking," she began.

"Tell me something I don't know," Jane said with a chuckle. "What have you been thinking about?"

"Well I've thought that this, we, have been seeing each other for a couple of weeks already. I can honestly say that I will never have another summer like this; it's been the best summer of my life… the best days of my life… and that's because of you Jane. I know we said we'd talk about what would happen once we went back home, but I don't want to wait that long, because I know that my feelings for you aren't going to go away. If anything, they'd grow stronger. I'm not afraid to admit this anymore, because if you've showed me anything these last couple of weeks is that you feel the same way… I love you… I've fallen in love with you."

Jane looked around quickly to make sure they were alone before she leaned in and kissed Maura with every fiber of her being. "I love you too Maura," she replied honestly.

"I don't want to wait anymore, I am sure of myself, of my feelings for you… and you would make me so very happy if you were to be my girlfriend."

"I'd love nothing more than to be your girlfriend Maura. What's going to happen to us in two weeks? How are we going to handle the long distance?"

"I know we can handle it Jane. If our love is as strong as I believe it to be; it will be strong enough to survive our time apart until we can be together again. I will put in all my efforts to finish school and apply to university so that I can start next year. I don't care where I end up… whether I stay in Europe or go to the States… I just want to be with you."

"I will give it my all Maur… I'll put in all the work I need to so that I can get into a good school and we can end up together somewhere. I know our love is strong enough to handle our time apart.

"So you'll accept? You'll be my girlfriend?" Maura asked with a huge smile.

"I'm yours, and you're mine," Jane before she leaned in to kiss Maura once more.

* * *

**Let me hear it!=)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter peeps! I took a bad fall yesterday and nearly broke my dominant hand... Stupid slippery surfaces. typing this practically one handed took an eternity! Hope you like it!=)**

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The thirty minute break was soon up and the new couple returned to the meeting place to continue the hike. Once everyone was accounted for, they continued on for a few more hours. The rain had slowed but the wind had been unforgiving to the point where the campers had a very difficult time setting up their tents when they finally arrived at their destination.

"I would really love to be in my own bed right now, you've no idea!" Jane cried as she helped hammer in the stakes to properly secure the tent. "I'm exhausted!"

"I know what you mean Jane; I think we're all exhausted by now," replied Maura as she began working on the poles.

The tent was set up a few minutes later and they hurried inside.

"I'm so cold!" Jane stated as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"You need to change out of those clothes. I can't believe you got as wet as you did. My clothes are still relatively dry," Maura replied.

"I don't know what happened, honestly," replied Jane as she began changing into a new set of clothes. I can't seem to get warm enough," she said a few minutes after she'd gotten into her sleeping bag.

Maura reached over to her girlfriend and felt her forehead. "Jane, you've got a fever! You're very hot, it must be quite high! Let me go get Isabel so she can get the doctor!"

"Don't leave me alone Maur, please!" Jane cried

"I have to get help Jane. Let me go to the next tent and tell Carol to get help. I will be right back, ok?"

Jane could do nothing else but nod. Maura quickly put her shoes back on and hurried outside.

"Carol! Carol! I need help!" Maura cried as she went to the next tent a few feet away.

"What's going on Maura? What is it?" Carol replied as she opened her tent.

"Please go get help! It's Jane! She has a really bad fever and she needs the doctor. I don't want to leave her alone; her fever feels like it is very high!"

"I'll go right away," Carol said as she exited the tent and went in search of help.

Maura rushed back to her tent and immediately went to Jane's side. "Carol went to get help. Someone will come soon bébé."

"Baby… I love you baby…" Jane said softly as she closed her eyes and shivered.

"I love you too Jane," Maura said as she held onto Jane's hand. "Help is coming!" She grabbed her own sleeping bag and threw it on top of Jane's. A couple of minutes later, Isabel showed up with the camp doctor.

"What's going on Maura? What's wrong with Jane?" Isabel questioned immediately.

"She has a fever. I don't know how high, but she is very hot. She said she was cold and she was drenched before she got changed a little while ago…"

"Alberto will examine her. Go and wait outside please."

"No! Maura! Stay here!" Jane called out.

"She has to go so I can examine you Jane; she'll be right outside," Alberto said, not nudging.

"I'll be right outside Jane," Maura said before she turned and reluctantly exited the tent.

The rest of the girls had gathered around their tent, wondering what was going on.

"How is she?" Carol asked the moment she saw Maura.

"She doesn't look good; I don't know how bad it is. She got really wet; her clothes got drenched during the hike. I hope that it is just a fever that they can get under control," Maura replied, clearly worried.

"She'll be ok," Camila added. "Jane is a strong, athletic person. She'll bounce back, you'll see."

Alberto and Isabel exited the tent shortly after.

"What's wrong with her?" Maura asked.

"It appears to be only a fever, but we have to keep an eye on it. She's at 103 right now, and we have to get it down and fast. I'm going to apply an antibiotic and a high dose of ibuprofen to lower it. She's going to need monitoring and lukewarm washcloths applied for a few hours at least to help bring the fever down. We're going to move her to a different area so we can treat her," Alberto finished.

"No, I can take care of her, let her stay here, please," Maura pleaded.

"Maura that's a lot of work for you, and you need to stick to the schedule," Isabel commented.

"She didn't want me to leave the tent earlier; do you think she's going to want to be moved? She needs a friend right now, and I can take care of her. I can handle it. I will ask for help if her fever doesn't come down," Maura tried again.

The doctor and the counselor looked at one another, wondering what else was going on.

"I'll come by and check on her every couple of hours," Isabel stated.

"Fine; I'll go get the medication and apply it here," Alberto said before leaving for his tent. He came back a few minutes later and gave Jane an injection and the ibuprofen. After that was taken care of, he showed Maura how to apply the washcloths before making his leave.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok Maura?" Isabel asked the blonde.

"Yes, I'll be fine," she replied instantly. "Thank you, for letting her stay here. I know you didn't have to agree to it." She looked down to see Jane in a semi-conscious state.

"I've come to see just how close you two have become. I think you were right when you said she needed a friend," Isabel said with a smile. "Just let me know if you need anything or if she worsens, ok?"

"I will, Maura said with a small smile of her own. "Thank you again Isabel."

"You're welcome," Isabel said as she too exited the tent.

Maura turned her attention back to Jane. The raven-haired girl was still shivering in her semi-conscious state. Maura made sure the washcloths were applied properly and then went to hold Jane's hand in hers.

"There bébé, you'll get better soon, you'll see. This will all just seem like a bad dream," Maura said as she raised one hand and moved Jane's hair out of her face.

"Maur?" Jane asked feebly.

"I'm here Jane," Maura replied.

"You didn't leave me," Jane replied in an even softer tone.

"Of course I didn't. I'll never leave you Jane. Now close your eyes and rest. You'll feel better in the morning. Je t'aime bébé," she said as she leaned down and kissed Jane's cheek.

"I love you too," Jane replied before sleep overcame her.

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**Thoughts?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone! to answer one reviewer's question, this story is going to be a few more chapters long; around 3-4. Since there is so much that can be alaborated on and I don't want this to end up being as long as 'Mistakes', I plan on breaking it up into pieces. Until then, here's the next chapter!=)**

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Jane's fever was practically gone by the following morning thanks to the medication and Maura's care. Due to still feeling weak, she was allowed to stay on the camp grounds instead of going and doing the day's activities with the rest of the students. After begging and pleading that Maura stay with her, Isabel finally agreed and let both girls stay behind.

"We're not going to be back for meals; we won't be back until tonight. Make sure Maura goes and buys you both something to eat and make sure you stay hydrated Jane," Isabel told them before leaving.

"Don't worry Isabel, we'll be alright," Maura replied. It wasn't until the counselor had gone that Maura and Jane looked at each other with huge smiles on their faces: they would have an entire day just to themselves.

"Yes! We have an entire day to ourselves! What do you want to do?" Jane asked with anticipation filling her voice.

"YOU are still sick; that's why we're staying behind, remember? We're not doing anything but staying here until you're better," Maura replied.

Jane frowned. "You're no fun," she playfully said.

"I'd rather you get better than worse Jane. Should your fever go down, we can think of something else to do then. In the mean time, would you like to listen to some music? Or maybe read for a little while? I think I have a book on me that you would enjoy…" Maura went off as she turned to look through her bag.

"I don't feel like listening to music right now… I know this may sound childish… but would you consider reading to me?" Jane asked quietly.

Maura looked at Jane quizzically. "You want me to read to you?" she asked for verification.

"I just like to listen to your voice… and I'm assuming that what you're looking for is Order of the Phoenix?" Jane stated knowingly.

"How did you know?" Maura asked as she pulled out the book.

"You said it was something I would enjoy and I already knew you had that book on you," Jane replied logically.

"Right," Maura replied. "Ok, I'll read to you for a while," she said as she opened the book. "Is there a particular chapter you'd like me to start on or do you want me to start from the beginning?"

"The beginning, please," Jane replied with a smile as she settled into her sleeping bag and got comfortable.

Maura laid down next to her on her side as she read to her girlfriend. She changed her voice slightly whenever a new character was introduced and it made Jane crack up each time.

"I can't wait to see what Hermione will sound like," Jane stated.

"Just wait and see bébé," was Maura's reply.

Jane fell asleep about thirty minutes into Maura's reading. Having noticed this, Maura continued reading for another chapter to make sure Jane was fast asleep before putting the book aside. She checked Jane's temperature one more time only to realize it had already gone. With a smile, she made herself more comfortable, placed an arm around Jane and welcomed sleep as well.

A couple of hours later, Jane woke up to find Maura snuggled against her. She didn't think she'd ever seen Maura look as beautiful as she did then. She moved very carefully so as to not wake the sleeping blonde and turned her body towards Maura's. She then brought her lips to her girlfriend's and gave her a soft kiss.

Maura smiled against her. "That's a nice way to wake up," she said as she opened her eyes. She looked at Jane adoringly. "How do you feel?"

"I feel great! Completely well," Jane replied with a smile.

"I checked right before I went to sleep and your fever was gone. It looks like it still is," Maura stated as she checked Jane again.

"Yes! Finally! Does that mean we get to do something with our day after all?" Jane asked excitedly.

"What did you have in mind?" Maura questioned.

"I'd like to do something we typically don't get to do because everyone else is always around…" Jane started.

"Ok… that sounds promising," Maura stated with a smile.

Jane leaned down and kissed Maura once more. Knowing that they no longer had to hide their emotions and be as quiet as they usually were, Maura leaned into Jane's body and kissed back passionately.

"I love you bébé," Maura said as she felt Jane's body come onto hers.

"I love you too Maur," Jane replied instantly as she felt their bodies connect.

The kissing grew heated and pretty soon both girls were coming up for air.

"Jane, I think there's something we need to talk about," Maura said as she regained her breath.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Jane replied.

"The thing is… I'm still a virgin," Maura practically whispered.

"Maura, that's nothing to be ashamed about," Jane said as she put her hand below Maura's chin and raised it so that Maura's eyes met hers. "I'm a virgin too," she replied.

"I've thought about this moment… if we were going to ever get here. I wondered what it would be like. I can tell you now that it's even better than I imagined. I just don't know if this is the best place for us to have our first time," Maura said.

"I know," Jane replied. "A tent isn't exactly the most romantic place to lose one's virginity," she stated. "It's ok Maur, we can wait."

"Are you sure you're willing to wait, Jane?" Maura asked cautiously.

Jane smiled. "Of course I'm sure. I love you. I want my first time to be with you. I'll wait however long I have to because I know it will be worth it," Jane stated with conviction.

Maura's smile made her heart melt. "I know the wait will be worth it too," she replied. "Can we keep doing what we were doing though? I still love having your body against mine, and I love kissing you."

"Your wish is my command," Jane said as she leaned down once again and resumed kissing the blonde.

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**Tell me what you think!=)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the continued love and reviews peeps! Thanks for the well wishes on my hand; it's getting better:)**

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The day the two girls were dreading had finally arrived: the last day of the expedition. They woke up to Juan's megaphone like every morning. Jane kissed Maura on the shoulder as she brought her in closer to her own body and gave her a squeeze.

"Good morning beautiful," Jane said.

"Good morning bébé," Maura replied as she turned in Jane's arms and kissed her.

"I can't believe today is the last day," Jane stated sadly. "I'm not ready for this trip to end," she said as her eyes began to water.

"I'm not ready for it to end either," Maura replied. "Last night's party seemed surreal. It was a lot of fun to sing and dance with everyone, but I'm not ready to say goodbye yet."

"What time are you leaving for the airport?" Jane asked Maura.

"My group leaves at noon; what about yours?" Maura asked.

"Mine leaves at ten," Jane replied sadly. "At least you have a much quicker flight home. I won't be home until late tonight."

"I wish we could spend some more time together, Jane. How long is it going to be before I can see you again?" Maura wondered as she began to tear up as well.

"Hey hey, come on Maur. We said we'd see one another for Christmas break. That's only 4 months away."

"4 months is a very long time!" Maura cried.

"I know, but at least it isn't a year. We're going to be so busy with school that 4 months will go by fast Maur, you'll see."

"Come on everyone! It's time for breakfast!" Isabel called out as she walked by the tents.

Maura leaned in to kiss Jane once more before they separated, grabbed their things, and headed out.

They brought down the tent for the last time, turning it in when they were done. They'd gone through their things to make sure they'd packed everything properly; their bags were considerably heavier than the beginning of their trip. Jane's bags held a good amount of souvenirs for her family and friends and she wanted to make sure that nothing would get damaged with the trip in cargo.

"¡Atención, atención! Todos los americanos deben prepararse para marcharse del campamento en una hora. Para todos los europeos, nos dirigiremos al aeropuerto en 3 horas."

"Attention, attention! All Americans should be ready to leave for the airport in one hour. All Europeans will be leaving in three hours."

The small groups had been given free time so that the students could all say goodbye to friends and get pictures and other keepsakes to take with them from their journey. Jane and Maura went around to say goodbye to all of their friends, hugging them and kissing them goodbye with promises to keep in touch by e-mail or phone. At the end they ended up having 30 minutes all to themselves and decided to make good use of it by sneaking away from the campsite enough to be out of sight.

"I'm going to miss you, so much bébé. I will write to you every day and you'll be home so that I can call you on the weekends right?" Maura stated.

"Of course I'll be home. Hearing your voice will be the best part of my week," Jane replied. "I'll write you every day too," Jane said.

They sat, their bodies against each other as they held hands and talked for the remainder of their time. When it was time to go, Maura rose with her and accompanied her to the buses. Jane grabbed her large backpack and strapped it onto her back; Maura had picked up her smaller one and was helping her with it.

They loaded them into the bus and stood beside it as the other students got on. They embraced one another tightly, tears streaming down their cheeks.

"I want to be able to say goodbye to you properly," Jane cried as she held onto Maura as if her life depended on it.

"I don't care who sees us anymore; it's not like they can do anything to us. You're going away and I won't see you for months. I want to be able to say goodbye too," Maura replied as she turned her head and kissed Jane full on the lips.

Time and space stood still for the two; neither knowing how long. The whistles and cheers around them went unheard as nothing else existed for the girls but one another. When they finally broke apart for air, Maura brought Jane's body to hers once again and hugged her tight.

"I love you Jane Rizzoli; you made this the best trip of my life and I will see you soon," Maura said once more.

"I love you too Maura Isles. I will see you soon amore," Jane replied before she kissed Maura one last time. They released one another and Jane got on the bus. She quickly got a window seat and stuck her head out the window. "I love you, and I miss you already!" she cried.

"Je t'aime aussi bébé," Maura replied as she waved goodbye. She saw the bus pull away between tears, as a crying Jane slowly travelled away from her.

Carol came up to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "So you and Jane… you were together this whole time?" she asked curiously.

"We were together for most of the trip," Maura replied, still crying.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Carol asked again.

"We were afraid of your reactions," Maura replied easily.

"We would've been ok with it Maura. Who are we to judge? You and Jane are both amazing people; we are lucky to know you."

"And we are lucky to know you," Maura replied.

"Were you in love with her?" Carol asked.

"I was, I am, and I always will be," Maura said as she started crying again.

"Don't worry then… you'll see her again," Carol replied.

"I know I will, it will just take time. I don't care how long it is, I will see Jane again," Maura replied as Carol tried to comfort her once more.

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**There are still a couple of chapters left in this story... let me hear it!=)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's the next chapter peeps!=)**

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Jane arrived home late into the night. Her eyes were still puffy and red; she'd spent the entire flight home crying at the thought of not being able to see Maura for months. She went through customs again and grabbed her large backpack off the conveyor belt. Angela was waiting for her along with Frankie with open arms.

"Jane! Janie! My baby, you're finally home!" Angela cried as she enveloped her daughter in a bone crushing hug. "You were gone for so long! Look at you! You got a tan!"

"Hi ma, hi Frankie!" Jane replied as she hugged both her mother and her brother hello.

"How was your trip Jane?" Frankie asked after taking her backpack. The 15 year old stumbled with it at first. "Geez, just how much does this thing weigh?!" he asked as he finally got it on his back.

"It weighed 74lbs when I checked it in… you sure you can handle it?" Jane asked with a wink. Frankie nodded. "The trip was amazing… truly amazing. I didn't want it to end," she replied sadly. "Where's Tommy?"

"He's at home, the brat didn't want to come," Frankie replied.

"Frankie! Don't talk bad about your brother!" Angela said.

Frankie just rolled his eyes and looked over at Jane with a smile. "I missed you sis, it's good to have you home."

"I missed you too Frankie," Jane replied. What she didn't say, was that the ache in her heart was telling her she was missing Maura more.

The drive home for her was strange. She got to sit in the front seat of a car, with air conditioning and a free pass to mess with the radio stations; she wasn't used to such luxuries anymore.

"So what do you want to do when you get home? I'm imagine you must be tired from the flight," Angela stated.

"I'm beat, but I want to take a shower. I haven't showered properly in 7 weeks."

"What do you mean?" Angela asked, curious.

"We didn't have normal showers… we either got to bathe in the river or they would send a water truck and hose us down."

"They did what?!" Angela yelled out.

"Ma! Calm down. We were out in the middle of nowhere, sleeping in tents… what did you expect? A five star hotel?"

"Well no, but I thought that you would have other accommodations," Angela replied.

"Did you get what I asked for Frankie?" Jane questioned her brother, sidestepping Angela's comment.

"Sure did," he said as he handed her a travel mug with coke and ice.

Jane grabbed it immediately and took a large gulp. "Ahhh… coke and ice. The things one takes for granted…" she said as she continued to savor her treat.

"What exactly did you _do_ out there for so long?" Frankie asked, somewhat bewildered.

"I had the best summer of my life," Jane replied. She smiled as flashbacks of the trip flooding her mind.

* * *

"Ms. Isles, Maura, welcome home!" her nanny said as Maura entered the Isles mansion.

"Hi Sophie; thank you. Where are my parents?" Maura wondered.

"They had a conference in New York this weekend sweetheart; they won't return for another couple of days. Would you like something for dinner?" Sophie asked.

Maura thought about it for a second before replying."I'll just have some fruit, please. I haven't had fruit in a long time."

"How was your trip?" Sophie asked excitedly. "Did you have fun?"

"I did. It was amazing. I met and made a lot of new friends… and I met someone…"

"Maura! That's amazing! Who is it? Is she pretty?" Sophie asked, excited once more.

"Her name is Jane, and she is beautiful!" Maura cried as her eyes slightly watered at the last memory she had of Jane. "I miss her already. I'm going to call her tomorrow morning to make sure she made it home alright; she had a much longer flight than I did."

"Where is she from?" Sophie questioned.

"Boston," Maura replied.

"I wish you well miss Maura," Sophie said sincerely.

"Thank you Sophie," Maura said with a smile. She had her fruit and went upstairs to take a long, hot shower, while thinking where in the world her girlfriend was at the time.

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**RING RING**

Angela grabbed the phone after the second ring. "Hello!" she cried into the phone.

"Good morning, may I speak with Jane Rizzoli please?" Maura said in her best English.

"She's asleep right now; she just got back home last night. Who is this?" Angela wondered.

"This is Maura Isles. Can you please wake her? She is expecting my call."

"I doubt she'll wake up but let me go try, hang on a minute."

"Alright, thank you."

Angela climbed the stairs and knocked loudly on her daughter's room. "Jane! You have a phone call…"

"Ma, I'm tired. Tell them I'll call them back!" Jane moaned from her bed and turned over to resume sleeping.

"This is a Maura something or other… she said to wake you."

Jane's head snapped up. "Maura Isles?" she asked?

"Yeah! That's the one…"

Jane jumped off the bed and ran out of the room and down the stairs. "Why didn't you start with that ma?!" She reached the receiver. "Hello? Maur? Is it really you?" Jane asked, slightly out of breath and with a huge smile that could be heard in her voice.

"Hello bébé, it's me. How was your flight? How are you? I'm sorry I woke you up…" Maura replied.

"No, don't worry about it. I'm sorry I just didn't wake up in time for the call. My flight was long, but it was ok." She turned to look for Angela who was nowhere to be seen. "I miss you so much baby. It was so weird to wake up today and not have you in my arms," she whispered into the receiver.

"Why are you whispering?" Maura questioned.

"Because my family is full of snoops and I don't want them to hear what I'm talking about," Jane replied.

"I miss you too bébé. It is very very late here, but it's like our normal sleep time. I haven't gone to bed yet. Did you get your ice and coke?" Maura asked with a smile.

"I did! Frankie had it for me when they picked me up. I got home and took the longest shower of my life. It felt so good! Hot water!" Jane said with a laugh.

"I know what you mean, I had a very hot, long shower when I got home too," Maura replied.

"It's amazing the things we take for granted every day… my bed! I missed my bed so much! But I miss you more amore. I'd sleep on the ground on top of huge, uneven rocks every day of my life if that meant having you by my side every morning."

Maura began silently crying on the other side. "Me too bébé, me too."

"You need to get some sleep. Go to bed, amore. We'll talk next week, ok? I'll call you on Saturday afternoon. You have my e-mail address and I have yours. We'll keep in touch that way in the meantime, ok?" Jane wondered.

"Ok, I can't wait to talk to you again. I'll write you tomorrow bébé. I miss you, I love you, and I can't wait to see you again! Bisous!"

"Everything you just said to me I sent back to you tenfold amore. I send you kisses too! I love you! Talk to you soon!"

"Goodbye," Maura said.

"Goodbye Maur," Jane said before hanging up with a heavy heart. She stayed by the phone and tried to regain her composure.

Angela walked into the kitchen, arms crossed and a stern look on her face. "Care to explain who this Maura Isles is, Jane?" she asked her daughter.

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**Let me hear it! Send me your thoughts everyone! Thanks for the continued support!=)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello all! Here's another chapter! Enjoy!=)**

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"Maura? She's a friend from the trip… my tent mate," Jane replied quickly.

"Then why were you so secretive when talking to her? Why were you calling her 'amore'?" Angela demanded.

"Ma! What are YOU doing listening to my conversations?!" Jane retorted.

"This is my house young lady and I will do whatever I damned well please," Angela replied back.

"Fine… you want me to tell you? Fine. She's my girlfriend, ok?" Jane got ready for the reaction.

Angela stood quiet for a second, speechless. A slow smile crept up on her face. "Your girlfriend?" She asked Jane for confirmation.

"Yeah ma, Maura is my girlfriend."

"Why didn't you tell me anything last night?" Angela questioned. "Janie, this is huge! You've never been in a relationship before!" Angela said as she walked over to hug her daughter.

"I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to get like this. I was going to tell you about Maura eventually ma… we're just trying to figure things out… She's French; makes things kind of difficult for a relationship."

"Tell me everything about her! Come on, sit, sit! I wanna know who my daughter is dating!" Angela said as she got comfortable on the sofa.

"Well… she's French, like I said. Her name is Maura Isles. She's fifteen, will be sixteen in a couple of weeks. She lives in Paris with her parents during breaks but attends boarding school in Bordeaux. She's a few inches shorter than me, honey blonde hair, the most beautiful hazel eyes… and she's a genius ma… she's so smart and kind and sweet and beautiful… I love her… I'm in love with her," Jane shone with happiness.

Angela's eyes watered. "My baby! I'm so happy for you! I was waiting for this day to come! My Janie, in love! Do you have a picture of her?" Angela asked.

"Of course I do. Hang on, let me go get my camera," Jane stated as she rose from the sofa and went upstairs to her room. She returned a couple of minutes later, camera in hand and going through photos. "This is her," she said to her mother as she handed her the camera.

Angela looked at the photo before her. Jane had selected a picture of Maura and herself taken during the day of one of the shorter hikes. Both girls looked tired, but were smiling huge for the camera with their arms around one another.

"Janie, she really is beautiful!" Angela remarked. "You look so happy!"

"I am ma; we are."

"When did this start?"

"We started dating about a couple of weeks after the trip began so it's been about 6 weeks. I know it's a short period of time, but believe me, if you had been through what we went through together it would seem like an eternity. This trip, it was so special, so magical. IT really taught me a lot about myself, about others and how we all live in a completely different world."

"I hate to ask the obvious, but how are you going to handle the long distance relationship? France isn't exactly a drive away…" Angela stated.

"Well we're going to keep in touch by phone calls, e-mails and letters. We've made plans already; she's coming for Christmas break, and I hope that's ok with you."

"Of course it is! I can't wait to meet her!" Angela remarked with a smile.

"She's a year below me in school, but like I said, she's a genius ma. She's going to double her course load this year so that we can start school together. She's applying to schools here and I'm applying to schools in Europe. We'll see where we end up."

"Jane… you've only known this girl for 2 months… aren't you getting ahead of yourself?"

"No ma, I'm not. I know how I feel about Maura, and I know she feels just as strongly about me. I'm telling you, it would take someone to live through what we did during that trip to understand. We've seen so much… lived through so much together. I hope you'll understand."

"I'm sorry if I'm not catching on right away sweetheart, this is just a lot of information in such a short period of time. But of course I'm here for you. I'll support whatever decision you want to make, especially when it comes to school. You know I've always wanted you and your brothers to have a great education."

"Thanks ma, that truly means a lot to me. I really can't wait for you all to meet Maura; she's really great!"

"I'm sure she is sweetheart. She looks like a very likeable girl." Angela commented.

"She is," Jane said with a smile.

"Well, enough of the interrogation. Go back upstairs, you must still be tired. Get some more sleep."

"Thanks ma!" Jane said as she leaned in to give her mother a kiss and ran up the stairs to her room. Before she jumped into bed, she turned on her laptop to send Maura a quick e-mail.

_Hi amore,_

_I know we just spoke on the phone but I wanted to tell you some news. My mother, being the snoop that she always is, caught me on the phone with you and decided to go all interrogation mode on me. She got me to crack and I told her about you… about us. I was a little afraid of her reaction because I know that my ma can at times overreact with news but she was ecstatic! I showed her a picture of you and she thinks, as I do, that you're beautiful=) She says she can't wait for Christmas break so that she can get to meet you. I hope that whenever you decide to tell your parents about us that they react the same way. I know you said that your relationship with them isn't nearly as close as mine is with my ma, but I really hope they are happy for you too my love. I'll leave you with this and write you again tomorrow._

_I love you and miss you. Know that I'm sending you hugs and kisses from the other side of the Atlantic._

_Jane_

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**So I've thought about this and decided to extend this story a bit more... going to have Maura's Christmas break added and a couple of chapters for their year apart. If you've got any ideas or suggestions on what you want to read let me know and I'll consider adding it in!=) Thank you for the continued support and reviews! Let me hear it!=)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Because you all rock, here's the last chapter for tonight!=)**

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_My dearest Jane,_

_I'm SO happy that your mother reacted well to the news. I know you told me she knew of your sexuality and that she was ok with it, but one never knows how parents are going to react. I was nervous about what she'd think of me, but your words have put me at ease=) I haven't had the chance to talk to my parents yet; turns out they're in New York on business. I did tell Sophie about you and she was very happy for me. _

_I slept for 8 hours straight! I hadn't had that much sleep since before our trip and it was wonderful! I feel fully rested! Now it's time to unpack, get some photographs developed and put together a photo album; that is my goal for today. I already have the perfect picture of you and of us picked out that will go on my nightstand so that you can be the first person I see when I wake up and the last when I go to sleep bébé. I know it's only been a day but I miss you so much already and hope with all my heart that December comes soon so that I can be with you again. _

_I too, send you kisses and hugs back across the Atlantic bébé!_

_All my love,_

_Maura_

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Both girls returned to school two weeks after they'd gotten back to their respective countries from Spain. Jane, with a new goal in mind, was completely determined to keep her grades up and begin looking at schools and submitting college applications. Her SAT and ACT scores had been superb so she knew that would help her enormously.

Halfway through the first week of school brought along Maura's birthday. Jane was crushed that she wouldn't be able to spend such a special day with her girlfriend, but made sure to mail her a package and that the blonde would receive it on time.

"Maura! You have a package waiting downstairs for you!" Mrs. Benoit called out to the blonde.

"I'm coming Mrs. Benoit!" Maura called out as she rushed down the stairs. Her birthday was two days away. Mrs. Benoit was one of the teachers on staff and it was her turn to monitor the dorms for the evening. Maura reached her, slightly out of breath.

"Careful my dear, you don't want to fall," the older woman said kindly as she handed Maura a small box.

"No ma'am. Thank you," Maura replied as she took the package. Her smile lit up the room the second she saw who the package was from.

"Go on, back to your room. I'm sure whoever sent you that gift was for your birthday; I'm glad you've received something," the kind woman said.

"Thank you again Mrs. Benoit. Good evening," Maura replied.

"Good evening to you Maura," the older woman said before going back to her duties.

Maura rushed up the stairs back to her dormitory. She was happy that she was in a single dorm and didn't have to share her space with anyone. She quickly locked the door and went to sit in the chair by her desk. She opened the box carefully to reveal a card from Jane and a colorfully wrapped box within.

_Amore,_

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (or __Bon Anniversaire__, the way you French say it!) I hope you received this package on time for the big day. I'm so very sorry that I can't be there to celebrate with you the way it's meant to be, but believe me when I say those days will come. Enclosed is your birthday gift and I really hope you like it. I put a lot of thought into it and I thought that it would help make our time apart a little easier. I made duplicates for myself, and know that whenever I use them I think of you. _

_I love you, I miss you and I send you all my love!_

_xoxo_

_Jane_

Maura put aside her birthday card and took out the smaller wrapped gift. As she opened it she realized there were two things inside: a CD and yet another box. She put the CD aside and opened the other box to reveal a digital picture frame. She quickly took it out of its box (along with the plug adapter Jane had thought to send with it) and plugged it in. Her eyes teared up the second she saw its contents. Picture after picture of her and Jane along with their friends during their unforgettable trip scrolled before her very eyes. Happy memories flooded her mind as she continued looking through the entire contents of the frame. Once it had made its first run through, she put it down and reached back for the CD. She inserted the disc in her laptop and let it play.

"_Hi Amore! Happy Birthday!" Jane's voice flooded the room. I made this CD especially for you. It is made up of songs that remind me of you and of our unforgettable journey together. I play it on repeat in my car hahaha. I hope you like it too. I send you all my love on your special day. Ti amo con tutto il mio cuore. Ciao bella!"_

Track 2 began seconds after and the first song made Maura smile. It was "Eres mi religión" by Maná, a Mexican rock band. The Spanish seemed to love this particular band and had played one of their CDs over and over again while on roadtrips. The song itself brought her tons of memories, but the meaning of the lyrics made her only think of Jane and their love for one another. She sat there and listened to track after track. The CD could not have been more perfect. The gifts were perfect. Tears of happiness spilled down her cheeks as the last song finished. She dried her eyes and turned on her e-mail account to write Jane a reply.

_Bébé,_

_THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY BIRTHDAY GIFTS! They have meant so much more to me than you can possibly imagine. The picture frame was perfect! I have placed it on my desk at school and will have it on whenever I'm in my room. Those photos along with the songs on the CD have made me think of so many happy memories. I could not have asked for a better gift or a better girlfriend! You have made this the best birthday ever for me. Thank you so much again! I will treasure them and you always._

_All my love,_

_Maura._

Jane closed her e-mail with a huge smile on her face: mission accomplished. If she wasn't going to be able to be there for her girlfriend on her special day, she was at least happy that she'd made her feel special. She pumped her fists in celebration before going back to her homework.

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**Hit that review button and show me some love peeps!=)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here's the next chapter!=)**

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"Come on… where is it? Where is it?" Jane looked up and down the list of arrivals, looking for Maura's flight. "There it is! On time! Great!" she cried out loud to no one in particular. All she had to do was wait now… in less than an hour she would be in front of her love again.

It had been a hard four months for the two girls. Though they kept in constant touch with daily e-mails and a couple of phone calls a week, they had been up to their necks with work. Jane had thrown herself into her school work and made the last semester count for her college applications. She'd written the essays and sent off the requested information for several top schools in the country and a handful in Europe.

On her side, Maura had been even busier with her studies. She'd taken a very demanding course load and was set to graduate a year early thanks to her efforts. She too, had begun applying to schools in Europe and back in the States. It was only a matter of time before they knew where they'd end up the following year. It didn't matter to them, as long as they were together.

"Thank you ladies and gentlemen. We hope you enjoyed your flight. Welcome to Boston," the captain said as the plane came to a stop.

Maura sighed and smiled to herself: she was finally going to get to see Jane. The last four months of hard work and effort seem to have paid off and now she had a major surprise for her girlfriend. All that she could think about now was Jane and the fact that they would get to spend two wonderful, uninterrupted weeks together. She gathered her book and carry-on bag and made her way off the plane and headed through customs. Once her paperwork was in order, she headed to the conveyor belts, got her bag and walked towards arrivals. She didn't have to walk long before she heard her name called from across the room.

"Maura!" Jane cried as she ran the remaining distance between the two. "You're here amore, you're finally here!" Jane said as she wrapped her arms around Maura and kissed her firmly on the lips. "I've missed you so much! I can't believe you're here right now," she repeated with a small laugh and a smile.

"Bébé! I've missed you too! You have no idea just how much I've wanted this moment to finally come. We've waited so long!" Maura replied as she felt Jane's arms around her.

"How was your flight? Here, let me take your bag," she said as she reached for Maura's luggage.

"It was fine; I was anxious the whole time," Maura said with a laugh. "I couldn't wait to get here!"

"Neither could I. I got here an hour early," Jane replied. "You had a long flight though; you must be tired."

"I was tired, but I've completely forgotten about that now," Maura stated.

"Let's get home. I hope you're hungry; ma prepared a big meal for your arrival," Jane said with a smile.

"I'm quite hungry, though I must admit I'm a little nervous about meeting your mother," Maura replied, a little uneasy.

"Don't worry amore, she already loves you! I made my brothers promise that they'll be on their best behavior too. I apologize in advance; I know how they can be."

"Don't worry Jane. They only thing that matters to me is that we're finally together again."

Jane embraced Maura again. "Me too," she said.

The drive to the Rizzoli house was filled with conversation. The two girls got caught up with the details of the last week of school and finals. They shared the progress they were making with applications, with Maura leaving a couple of important details behind; she wanted to leave her surprise for the upcoming Christmas celebration.

"Ma! We're home!" Jane called out as soon as they entered the house, Maura's bags in tow.

"I'm in the kitchen! I'll be right out!" Angela called from the other room.

"You're sure I look alright Jane?" Maura questioned one last time.

"You're perfect," Jane said as she stole a quick kiss before her mother came into the room.

"You must be Maura! It's a pleasure to finally meet you! I'm Angela, Jane's mother," Angela stated the second she laid eyes on the blonde.

"The pleasure is all mine Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura replied, extending her hand to shake the Rizzoli matriarch's hand.

"Honey, we don't give handshakes; we hug around here and you're family!" Angela stated as she hugged the blonde hello.

Maura hugged her back with a smile. "Jane has told me so much about you that I feel as if I already know you," she said to the older woman.

"I can say the same," Angela replied with a smile. "But where are my manners. Come in! You must be hungry! Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Jane, why don't you get your brothers and get washed up?" Angela suggested. "Show Maura where she'll be staying," she added. "Welcome to our home," she called out to Maura before returning to the kitchen.

"Thank you Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura said with a smile before joining Jane and going upstairs.

"Tommy! Frankie! Get out here!" Jane called out to her brothers. Both came out of their respective rooms, ready to meet their guest. "This is my girlfriend Maura. Maura, these are my brothers Frankie and Tommy," she said as she introduced the three to each other. They exchanged formalities before the boys went to get ready for dinner. Jane continued on to her room and let Maura inside. "You're staying with me," she said as she carried Maura's luggage into the room. "Ma was all over herself, worried that we don't have a guest bedroom so she okayed you staying in here with me. She managed to embarrass me with her rules though… I'm glad you didn't have to hear them," Jane said with a laugh.

"I can only imagine how that went," Maura agreed.

The two washed up and went down for dinner. Angela had really gone all out, preparing a small feast to welcome Maura to their home.

"Your cooking is absolutely delicious Mrs. Rizzoli; I can see why Jane missed it so much during out trip," Maura stated as she finished her meal.

"Thank you Maura. Please, call me Angela," the older woman stated.

"I couldn't possibly," Maura stated with a slight blush.

"That's ok dear, we'll work up to that," Angela replied with a smile.

Once the cannolis were had for dessert, everyone called it a night and headed upstairs for the night.

"Remember what I said Jane, no funny business," Angela reminded her daughter.

"Ma!" Jane cried out before shutting her door closed. "I'm sorry about that… my ma… she just has no filter sometimes," she said to a bashful Maura.

"It's alright Jane. I know what I would be thinking if I were her," Maura replied. "Just because we haven't made love yet doesn't mean that they're not thinking we're going to do it whenever we get a chance."

"It's none of their business though," Jane said as she began changing for the night.

"I know bébé, I'm just giving my opinion."

"You know and I know that we're not rushing into anything, and that we're not ready to take that step yet amore. I'll be happy with my arms wrapped around you tonight and every night until you go back home… that's enough for me."

"Are you sure you're willing to continue to wait Jane?" Maura asked softly.

"I am. We'll wait. We'll know when we're ready, ok?" Jane said as she looked into Maura's deep hazel eyes.

"Ok," came Maura's reply.

Both girls got into bed. Jane pulled Maura close to her body and wrapped her arm around the blonde and held her tight. It was as if no time had passed; they were together once more.

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**Thoughts?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here's the next chapter peeps! Enjoy!=) For the record, I looked up age restrictions with hotel reservations and gave up after a little while... this is fiction anyway so just go with it;)**

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"I didn't realize how beautiful it is over here," Maura remarked as the train flashed past the New England countryside.

"I told you," Jane said with a knowing smile. "I can't wait to get to New York! I've wanted to go for a while now. We can go skating at Rockefeller Center, go to any play you'd like to see on Broadway, take a walk through Central Park…" Jane continued giving out ideas.

"A whole weekend completely alone," Maura replied with a smile.

"I know, it's going to be incredible," Jane agreed.

It was a few days into Maura's trip. With 4 days before Christmas, they'd been given a green light by Angela and Constance to spend a weekend in New York City as long as they promised to contact the Rizzoli matriarch regularly to make sure they were alright. The train arrived at the station an hour later. The girls took a taxi to their hotel and checked in. Thanks in large part to the Isles name, an exception was made and Jane, being 17, was able to make a reservation for Maura and herself.

They went up to their room and unpacked their bags quickly before sitting down to determine what they were going to do for the remainder of the day.

"How about we go take a walk through Times Square and then head to the Empire State Building? I'm sure it gives a wonderful view of the city, especially right now," Jane suggested.

"I've never been there before; that sounds like a lovely idea," Maura nodded in agreement.

They exited the hotel and began their walk towards the famous landmark.

"There is so much to do in this city! One weekend does not do it justice," Maura commented as she looked around.

"You would need a good amount of time to see everything New York has to offer," Jane replied. "Boston has a lot of things to do as well; but New York is just a different experience."

Times Square was bustling with activity. It was completely crowded with tourists and New Yorkers doing their last minute shopping before Christmas arrived.

"Oh look! It's the M&Ms store! I wanna go in there!" Jane cried as she saw the huge sign advertising the store.

Maura laughed. "Alright bébé, let's go," she said as Jane practically dragged her in a hurry to get to the aforementioned store.

The store, like everywhere else, was completely packed. Jane stared in awe at the colorful displays all around her.

"You really like M&Ms, don't you bébé," Maura commented with a smile.

"I LOVE them!" Jane replied. "The blue M&M is my favorite. I gotta buy something!" she cried as she looked over all the displays once more. "Look Maur! Those are really cute pants! Do you like them?" she asked as she pointed over to a set of colorful loungers completely covered in M&Ms.

"They're cute," Maura agreed.

"I'm buying one for each of us," Jane said with a smile. "It'll help keep us warm in the coming months," she said with a smile.

Maura also ended up purchasing a blue character pillow for Jane, which made the raven haired girl smile with happiness.

"I'll sleep with him every night and think of you," Jane said. "Thank you baby," she stated as she gave Maura a quick peck.

"You're welcome bébé," Maura replied.

They exited the store and walked around Times Square taking pictures for another hour. They walked a couple of more blocks and went down to purchase tickets for the Phantom of the Opera for the following night. Both girls had seen the play before and really wanted to see it again.

It was a little after six o'clock when they got into a taxi and headed towards their other destination. The Empire State Building was packed when they arrived. It took them over an hour to get through the long line that led to the elevator that would take them up to the top.

"I'm really glad we brought our thicker coats," Jane said as she wrapped her around herself. "It's really cold up here." She shivered uncontrollably. They'd finally made it out to the deck and the wind was unforgiving.

"Here bébé, lean into me, I'll help keep you warm," Maura replied as she held Jane close. The two were at the top of the building, with a lit up New York City everywhere they looked. "It's so beautiful!" she remarked as she stared out into the night.

"It truly is, amore. I've never seen anything more beautiful," Jane remarked.

Maura turned to her and saw Jane staring right at her.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life, Maur. I love you," Jane said as she leaned in to kiss Maura softly on the lips.

"I love you too, bébé." The two girls stood there, embraced, their foreheads leaning against one another as they breathed each other in and tried to keep warm. They stood there, basking in each other's presence and enjoying the night sky before Jane heard Maura speak. "Take me back to the hotel Jane," Maura said in a voice so low Jane could barely make it out.

"Maura… are you sure? Are you ready to do this?" Jane questioned.

"I'm in love with you…" Maura started.

"And I am in love with you too," Jane replied instantly.

"That's all I need Jane. We are in love with one another, why continue to wait? I've thought about this for a while now. I know that we'd talked about waiting for the right moment but the more I think about it the more I realize that the right moment is here. I don't know how much more time will go by before I see you again. It will be months. I want to share this part of me with you. I'm ready. Take me back," Maura stated once more.

Jane looked into Maura's hazel eyes which burned with love and desire.

"Ok amore, let's go back," Jane agreed as she took Maura's hand in hers and headed back to the elevators.

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**The more I thought about it the more sense it made... I was making them wait for the right moment... not a quickie in Jane's room with the fear of being caught. Trip to NYC seemed like the perfect excuse. Thoughts?**


	15. Chapter 15

**I seriously question my abilities at writing these kinds of chapters. I never really know if they measure up. Still, I know some of you have been wanting to read about their first time so I hope I did alright!**

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The two girls left the Empire State Building, got in a taxi and made it back to the hotel. Though they were both determined and wanted what was about to happen, they were overridden with nerves.

Jane locked the door after they'd walked into the room and began to take off her coat. Maura sat on the edge or the bed, coat gone and hands in her lap. Jane put her coat and scarf aside and went to sit beside Maura.

"Hey, are you ok?" she asked as she took Maura's hands in hers.

Maura nodded. "I'm great Jane, I'm just nervous is all," she replied. "Neither one of us has done this before… how do we know we'll be any good at it?" she asked.

Jane brought Maura's hands up to her face and kissed them gently. "I think that's what this is all about amore; getting to experience it for the first time. We will learn as we go," she replied.

"I love you, and every time I feel your body next to mine it's like I'm on fire. You make me want to touch you, to kiss you and never stop," Maura said, looking down at Jane's lips.

"Just do what you want to do, do what your mind is telling you to do Maur," Jane said as she let Maura's hands go.

Maura raised her hands to cup Jane's face and brought their lips together softly. She kissed her girlfriend, her tongue gently seeking entrance which Jane quickly granted. She continued kissing Jane as she slowly brought her body onto Jane's as they settled on the bed. Jane looked up at her with a smile and Maura let half her body rest against Jane's while the other rested at her side as she continued to kiss the taller girl. She let her mouth explore Jane's cheekbones as she made her way down to her collarbone and pulse point which was beating fast. Maura gently sucked on Jane's pulse point, bringing out a loud moan from the raven haired girl.

"Maura," she moaned as her body shivered in anticipation.

Maura let her hand travel down Jane's chest and stopped at her sweater. Their eyes connected and she received the nod she was looking for before she lifted the layers of clothes and began pulling them off her girlfriend. Jane rose to a sitting position and discarded her clothing. She helped Maura out of her clothes until both were only left in their underwear.

"You're so beautiful bébé," Maura said as she went to unclasp Jane's bra. Seconds later, both sat on the bed completely naked.

"I've no words to describe how beautiful you are," Maura continued as she leaned in to kiss Jane once more.

Both girls gasped the second their breasts connected for the first time. An electric shock travelled through their bodies and shook them to their very core. Jane looked down at Maura's breast and licked her lips. She brought a hand to squeeze Maura's right breast as she brought her mouth down to suck on her left. Maura's nipples hardened instantly as she felt Jane's touch.

"Oh my… that feels so good my love," Maura said as she rested against the pillows while Jane continued sucking on her breast.

Jane switched sides and began to lick at Maura's other nipple while her left hand trailed lazily down the blonde's body. It slowly came to rest right above Maura's center and she slowly made her way over to Maura's leg and let her short nails graze up and down the soft skin. Maura's chest rose time and again, heart beating fast in anticipation and desire. She knew where she wanted Jane's hand.

"Jane… touch me…" she said as Jane continued pleasing her. "Touch me bébé…"

Jane, perfectly understanding where her girlfriend wanted to be touched let her hand graze Maura's leg once more before coming to a stop at Maura's center. Her fingers raked over slick folds and she heard Maura let out a whimper.

"Bébé…" Maura moaned as she lifted her waist to meet Jane's hand once more.

Jane separated Maura's folds with her fingers and let her finger travel the length of Maura's folds until she felt the blonde's throbbing clit. She began to rub circles on the throbbing bud, which only excited Maura more.

"I want more of you Jane… please bébé…" Maura called out as she writhed against Jane's body.

"I'm going to do it slowly Maur. I don't want to hurt you," Jane said quietly.

Maura nodded at Jane's words. "Slowly," she repeated.

Jane brought her index finger to Maura's entrance and gently began pushing inside. Maura let out a gasp at the intrusion and Jane felt Maura's legs clasp around her hand before they released it and Maura relaxed once more. She slowly brought out her finger and inserted it in again, this time with a little more force.

"More Jane, I want more," Maura stated heatedly.

"Are you sure Maur?" Jane asked with a worried expression.

"Yes, I want more," Maura nodded and continued moving her hips.

Jane didn't need any other confirmation and slowly inserted another finger into her girlfriend. She began pumping in an out at a steady pace and got began circling her thumb against Maura's throbbing clit once more.

"More Jane, faster bébé, harder," Maura cried as be began to move her hips quicker against Jane's thrusts. Jane did nothing but obey her girlfriend and began to pump in and out with harder, faster thrusts. "That's it love, right there," Maura said as she continued to moan Jane's name.

Jane felt Maura's walls closing around her and she knew that must mean the blonde was close to orgasm. She slowed her antics before speeding up once more until Maura yelled her name as her orgasm crashed over her. Seconds later, with her center too sensitive for anything else, Maura gently told Jane to stop and placed her own hand over her girlfriend's. The blonde's chest heaved up and down as she tried to regain her breath.

"Was that good?" Jane asked her as she rested beside Maura.

Maura smiled huge as she continued breathing hard. "Yes bébé, that was AMAZING!" she cried as she turned to kiss Jane. "Now it's your turn," Maura said as she reached for Jane's breast and took it into her mouth. She sucked at the nipple and bit down tenderly before releasing it with a small pop.

Her left hand continued kneading Jane's breast as she began to lower herself down Jane's body, kissing every inch of skin her lips could reach in their wake. "I love you bébé, so much" she said as she continued trailing kisses down Jane's body. Her mouth came to a stop before Jane's center. She breathed in Jane's scent and brought her lips to kiss Jane's folds.

"Maura!" Jane cried, surprised at the blonde's actions.

Maura opened Jane's wet folds and let her tongue travel the length of it, licking the wetness she had caused.

"Oh my God!" Jane yelled.

"Is this ok?" Maura asked, taken aback.

"Don't stop baby, don't stop," Jane cried as she felt Maura's tongue on her clit. "Right there Maur, God that feels so good."

Maura continued licking and sucking at Jane's clit. A couple of minutes later, she repositioned herself.

"Are you ready for me Jane?" she asked.

Jane could do nothing but nod.

"I'll go slowly bébé… talk to me," Maura said.

"Slowly baby," Jane repeated.

Maura inserted her finger slowly into Jane, just as the raven haired girl had done earlier and began to slowly ease it in and out of her girlfriend.

"Yes Maur… just like that baby. Oh my God… just like that," Jane began writhing against Maura's touch.

Maura reached down and resumed sucking on Jane's clit while pumping in and out of her. She felt velvet walls clench against her and seconds later Jane cried out and closed her thighs against her as she came. Remembering what it had felt like, she slowed her ministrations until Jane told her to stop.

She travelled up the taller girl's body once more, kissing her soft, taut skin until she reached her face.

"How was that?" she asked, curiosity filling her voice.

"I've no words to describe just how great that felt," Jane replied as she tried to put her feelings into words. "It was wonderful… you're wonderful," she said as she kissed Maura passionately.

Maura let her smile shine through. "Do you want to try something else?" she asked timidly.

Jane nodded slowly. "I'll go to the end of the world with you my love," Jane replied as she got ready to please her girlfriend once more.

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**What do you all think? Let me know!=)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here's the next one peeps! Enjoy!=)**

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The girls returned to Boston two days later having spent more time together and enjoying some of what New York had to offer. They'd not had enough time during the day to see the big city and there hadn't been enough time at night to satisfy each other's want and desire of the other.

"Girls! How was your trip? Did you have a good time?" Angela asked as the two entered the Rizzoli household.

"Yeah ma, we had a great time," Jane replied as she brought their bags in and began the trek upstairs.

"I want to hear all about it!" Angela called out.

"Alright ma! Stay with ma, Maur. I'll be right down; I'm just going to put these up," she said motioning to the bags.

"Ok bébé," Maura replied before she headed into the living room to sit with Angela.

"You two must be freezing! How about some hot cocoa?" Angela asked Maura.

"That sounds wonderful Mrs. Rizzoli, thank you," Maura said as she took a seat.

A few minutes later, both girls were sitting on the sofa next to one another, mugs of hot cocoa in hand.

"What was the best part of New York? I have wanted to go for so long!" Angela cried.

Jane and Maura looked at one another, communicating without words.

"I was truly amazed with the view from the Empire State Building," Maura called out. "The view from the Eiffel Tower in Paris is amazing, but I think this is much more special," she commented.

"I'm going to have to see that for myself," Jane replied. "We really enjoyed the play too. We went to see The Phantom of the Opera last night. The special effects are something else, aren't they Maur?" Jane stated, looking over at Maura.

"Yes, they were very well done; especially the chandelier," Maura replied. "Jane will probably tell you that her favorite part was the M&M store; you should've seen us," Maura said with a laugh.

"That was a really awesome store ma! You have to see it! It's so colorful!" Jane cried out in agreement.

"It sounds like you two had a really good time; that's great. I hope you're ready for Christmas," she said as she looked at both girls with a questioning look.

Jane looked at Maura with a questioning look.

"I'm ready," Maura replied with a smile.

"Yeah ma, we're ready," Jane agreed.

"Good. Then maybe the two of you can help me wrap some gifts. Your brothers' presents have yet to be wrapped Jane."

"Sure ma, we'll do that tomorrow when they go out for their hockey game and are out of sight," Jane replied.

"Alright. Well you two enjoy the rest of your cocoa; I have some things to work on. I expect to see you two for dinner," Angela said as she rose from her spot on the sofa and went upstairs towards her room.

"Yes Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura replied instantly.

"Yes ma we'll be here," replied Jane.

The two girls looked at one another again with knowing smiles on their faces. They both knew Angela wasn't blind or dumb, but at least they'd gotten past the initial interrogation…

* * *

It was soon Christmas Eve. The Rizzolis had a tradition of doing their Christmas celebration the night before and opening their gifts at midnight. They'd gone to mass and exchanged well wishes with all of their friends before making their way back home. Dinner was had in typical Rizzoli fashion. Angela had prepared a large feast for her and the children. The dining room table groaned under the amount of succulent dishes and desserts for everyone to have.

"I don't even know where to start ma, this all looks amazing!" Frankie called out as she held his plate in his hands.

"Well thank your sister and Maura too; they helped prepare dinner," Angela replied.

"Thank you!" Frankie and Tommy yelled before beginning to serve themselves.

Dinner was a pleasant occasion, with everyone talking animatedly about their plans for the remainder of break and what they were hoping to get for Christmas gifts. Once everyone ate until they could no more, the boys went upstairs to play video games while Angela and the girls watched some Christmas carols on TV. They all agreed to come together again at midnight for the opening of presents.

Midnight came almost an hour later. Tommy and Frankie raced down the stairs and went through presents looking for theirs after handing their mother her presents.

"Thank you boys, girls. Maura, you didn't have to get us anything, truly. Thank you," Angela said, touched at the blonde's gesture.

"It's my pleasure Mrs. Rizzoli, I hope you like your gifts," Maura replied truthfully.

Maura handed Jane a long thin box wrapped in royal blue Christmas wrapping with a silver bow. "Merry Christmas bébé, I hope you like your gift."

Jane smiled as she took the proffered box and began to unwrap it. She gasped when she realized it was a jewelry box. "Maura…" she began.

"Just open it bébé," Maura said with a smile.

Jane opened the box and gasped again. Inside was a white gold Cartier love necklace: two circles intertwined to signify eternal love. "Maura, this is too much," Jane said, speechless.

"I wanted this for you because of its meaning Jane: eternal love. I believe what we have is forever," Maura said sincerely.

"Thank you so much, amore," Jane said as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and gave her a kiss.

"Ahem," Angela cleared her throat with a half smile.

"Sorry ma," Jane blushed. She picked up her present and gave it to Maura. "Here Maur, open mine,"

Maura took her gift with a smile and began to unwrap the colorful paper. She held a jewelry box in her hands. It was no ordinary jewelry box, but one made by hand especially for her. Jane's and her initials were on top along with an intricate floral pattern burnt into the wood. "Jane, this is beautiful! I love it! Thank you so much!" Maura said as she kissed her girlfriend yet again.

Once all of the gifts had been opened, everyone wished each other a Merry Christmas once more before retreating to their respective bedrooms.

Maura followed Jane upstairs for bed. They'd just opened their gifts so it was a surprise to Jane when Maura brought out a small, thin, colorfully wrapped box and handed it to her.

"I thought about giving this to you along with your other gift, but I wanted to do it while we were alone," Maura stated.

"Maur, one gift is more than enough, amore. You didn't have to get me more," Jane said.

"This is a special gift Jane; you'll see what I mean. It's a gift for both of us," she said to her girlfriend.

"Ok," Jane said excitedly as she took the gift. She began to unwrap it quickly. "Maura, this is a letter from Boston Cambridge University…" She looked up at Maura with wide eyes.

"Open it," Maura said with a smile.

"Ms. Isles, it is our greatest pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted to join the class of 2014! Maura! You did it! You're coming to Boston?!" Jane cried with joy.

"I'm coming to Boston!" Maura cried happily.

"Oh my God! This is the best present ever!" Jane cried as she took Maura in her arms and began jumping up and down. "I'm so happy, amore! I love you!" she said as she stopped, leaned down and kissed Maura with all her being. "We're going to be together again!" she said with a huge smile and reached to kiss Maura once more.

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**Thank you for all the continued reviews and follows everyone! You know I love to read your reviews! Let me hear it!=)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here's the last chapter peeps! Enjoy!=)**

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"My baby girl, graduating! I can't believe it! Time has flown so fast!" Angela cried as she looked at a fully dressed Jane.

"I hate wearing heels!" she cried out as she stepped into the uncomfortable shoes. "I wish I could just dress comfortably!"

"Now, now Jane don't start! You look beautiful!" Angela gushed at her daughter. "Please let me enjoy this moment! I know you're starting college in the fall sweetheart but college graduation seems so much farther away! Boston Cambridge… I'm proud of you Jane," Angela stated as she hugged her daughter. "You've worked so hard for this, especially the last year. I know I have a certain blonde to thank for that," Angela said with a smile.

Jane's smile mirrored her mother's. "Maura helped give me the push I needed ma. Now it's a wonderful month in France with her before we come back to get ready for school," she said.

"You better make the most of it young lady. I've come to love Maura as a daughter. I know you two are still very young, but I see the love you two share… that love isn't easy to come by Jane. She's a keeper!" Angela said to her eldest.

Jane nodded her agreement. "I know ma… Maura's special… she's the one." She reached up to hug her mother fiercely. "You've no idea just how much this means to me… that you've accepted me without question from day one… that you accepted Maura… it makes all the difference in the world ma. Thank you. I love you," Jane said as she kissed her mother on the cheek.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you sweetheart. Now come on, it's time to get going! We have a graduation to get to!"

* * *

The school auditorium was completely filled to the brim with bustling people. Parents took photographs with their children or of their children with their friends to celebrate the joyous occasion. Angela took the time to get a family photo before Jane went off with her friends to get ready for their entrance.

"Mrs. Rizzoli, it's so good to see you! May I sit with you?"

Angela turned to the voice calling her name and her mouth dropped. "Maura! What are you doing here sweetheart? I thought you were back home! Of course you can sit with us!"

"Thank you," Maura replied with a smile. "I finished school last week, I just made Jane believe I was finishing this week. There was no way I would miss her graduation!" Maura cried.

"She's going to be so thrilled to see you!" Angela said. "You should've seen her all this week… a nervous wreck about what to pack and what to get ready for her trip to Europe with you. After all the hard work you have both done this year you deserve a break and some fun!" Angela commented. "Listen Maura, I know my daughter. I know she is incredibly smart, but I also know she is incredibly lazy and a procrastinator when she wants to be. Her getting into BCU with a full scholarship, getting ready for a 4 year degree… she did that because of you. You gave her the push, the energy and willpower to finish high school at the top of her class. Had it not been for that goal in mind, I don't even know if my Janie would've applied for college. I have you to thank for that sweetheart."

"The work she did was all on her own Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura replied. "She motivated me too, and I'm so happy that we're going to be able to be in the same city again. I know that Jane is very intelligent and that she's going to do great with school," Maura assured the older woman. "We helped each other. I have her to thank for finishing school early and getting the scholarship I did to attend BCU. It truly is a great school, and I'm sure we're both excited for the new semester to begin," Maura said with a smile.

"Well first comes that wonderful vacation. Promise me that you two will be careful. I know your parents are in Paris, but Janie mentioned you may be doing some traveling. Just be safe Maura. Have fun, but be safe," Angela asked of the blonde.

"We will be very careful. I would never do anything to endanger Jane," Maura replied. "and I'm sure she feels the same way."

"I'm sure she does," Angela agreed.

Just then the announcer asked for everyone's attention and asked that everyone be seated. "Pomp and Circumstance" began a few seconds later.

Row after row of students clad in their graduation caps and gowns walked towards the front of the auditorium to take their assigned seats. Maura saw Jane walk by and her heart swelled with pride for her girlfriend.

It was a long graduation ceremony, filled with speeches and singing by the school choir. Once the diplomas were beginning to be handed out they knew that the wait, though long since 'Rizzoli' was towards the end, was nearly over. About an hour later, Jane finally made it up on stage behind a few other students. Maura could see her scanning the crowd for her family. Their eyes finally made contact and Jane's mouth opened in a huge 'O' of surprise. Her smile lit up the room as she realized Maura was in the audience. Not been allowed to wave or do anything of the sort, Jane gave a quick nod to acknowledge her girlfriend's presence.

"National Honor Society scholarship. Spanish National Honor Society scholarship. President's scholarship, Boston Cambridge University. Graduating summa cum laude, Jane Clementine Rizzoli," the announcer said.

Jane walked the few steps to the high school principal to accept her diploma. She dutifully shook his hand as she took the proffered document. She continued on, shaking hands with every faculty member on stage before making her exit and going to her seat once more. The graduation ceremony ended half an hour later. Hundreds of students jumped from their seats and threw their caps into the air in celebration.

Once they were free to go, Jane quickly searched for Maura and her family once more. This time, it didn't take long for her to spot her favorite pair of hazel eyes.

"Maura! What are you doing here?! I thought you were still in school!" Jane cried as Maura ran into her arms.

"I thought I'd come surprise you, bébé. Congratulations! I'm so very proud and happy for you!" Maura stated as she gave Jane a quick kiss on the lips before Angela could 'protest'.

"It has been quite the surprise!" Jane agreed. "I thought I was meeting you in Paris next week!"

"I thought I'd come see you graduate and then we could leave together," Maura commented.

"That sounds like a perfect idea! I'm so happy you're here, amore!" Jane said wrapping her arms around her girlfriend once more.

Angela, Frankie and Tommy all came up to Jane to hug and congratulate her on her achievement. More family photos were taken, this time with Maura in the picture as well. The crowd started dying down as people began to leave the auditorium.

"We're going out for dinner to Jane's favorite restaurant Maura. How did you get here?" Angela asked.

"I took a taxi," Maura replied.

"Good, you can ride with us then," Angela stated.

"Ma, can you give us a minute?" Jane asked her mother.

"Sure Jane, take all the time you need," Angela nodded her assent. "We'll meet you back at the car. Let's go boys," she called to her sons.

Once her family had gone, Jane turned to Maura and held her by the shoulders. She leaned in to kiss her girlfriend properly. She smiled as the kissed ended and opened her eyes once more. "I just wanted to make sure this was all real," she said. "It feels like a dream."

Maura brought her body into Jane's and molded into it perfectly. She rested her head against Jane's shoulder. "It's real bébe," she said softly.

"Where do we go from here?" Jane asked with a smile, already knowing the answer.

"First Paris… then the rest of our lives. How does that sound?" Maura asked with a smile lighting up her face.

"That sounds absolutely perfect, amore," Jane replied as she hugged the blonde close. "Just perfect."

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**So we reach the end! Thank you for all who have favorited/followed/reviewed this story! It got a lot more attention than I ever thought it would. I'm truly pleased that you have liked it so. ****I'd mentioned before that there is plenty to go on from here. Show some love and let me know if you want to read some more!**


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